Dear members and friends,
In local café at the Garden Centre – sunlight from open window falls on my book – at peace – awaiting lunch – waitress calls over; “That’s the baked potato ready, Mr Demarco.” As I get up, very old guy at next table starts speaking incoherently – I move closer:- “Are you related to Tony Demarco who had a café in Bread Street?” – “My Dad”, I smile. “Thought so – I knew Tony well when we were lads – good footballer your Dad – good centre half – strong in the air – real Hibby.” I switch tables to join Donald – says he’s 91 – some precious anecdotes from before I was born – about the beautiful game and Easter Road and Powderhall dogs. Tells me he often manned the ice-cream van so Tony could play footie – later they owned a greyhound together – “But it was a squib.” Fresh glimpses of my Dad – young – wild.
After lunch, women comes to collect Donald – he has great spirit, but obvious pain getting into wheelchair makes me think. “Don`t fancy being that old.” On way out, I go in search of yellow shrub seen on Gardener’s World – recent shower has made ramp slimy – down on my erse! Nothing hurts, but I wait a moment to check – young woman in her twenties – very kind and helpful – gathers my bits and pieces. Look on her face says: “Don`t fancy being that old.”
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The English Community Empowerment White Paper was launched on Wednesday – the content more or less as expected. The ‘Community Anchors Fund’ has been halved – from £140m to £70m – as a result of powerful opposition from the municipalists – but the Fund should still assist around 400 `community anchors`. New legislation will introduce a duty on councils and council officers to respond to petitions; – the community allowance being promoted by the Create consortium will be piloted. The area where Scotland lags most behind England is in the transfer of assets to communities. They are to get a special unit to accelerate this process and the Quirk Team are expected to make further recommendation in the autumn. Scottish Government has still to acknowledge that the Quirk review took place. As was the case with Social Enterprise – community empowerment up here will benefit from the slipstream of English initiatives. https://senscot.net/?viewid=7374
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Highlands and Islands Community Energy Co (HICEC) went national on 1st July and is now called Community Energy Scotland (CES). Since its formation in 2004, HICEC has helped over 200 community energy projects reduce their bills and carbon emissions. The new mission of CES is: “ to build confidence, resilience and wealth at community level in Scotland through sustainable energy development.” In the north of Scotland, the principles and practice of community empowerment are better understood than in the central belt. Senscot welcomes and will do what we can to support Community Energy Scotland’s national roll out. Good article from the West Highland Free Press. http://www.senscot.net/view_news.php?viewid=7363
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Glasgow Council has advertised for expressions of interest from prospective development partners to design and build the Commonwealth Games Athletes Village. After the games, the Village will become a living community of 1,000 homes – at the core of Glasgow’s east end regeneration. Scotland’s social enterprise community could view these events as a once in a lifetime opportunity – thought should be given to how we can maximise the number of contracts which go to social enterprises http://www.senscot.net/view_news.php?viewid=7364
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Someone has sent me a link to the National Coalition for Independent Action – their strapline is `Dissent protects democracy`. Their main concern seems to be that out Third Sector is losing its independence – to Government and other powerful interests – and that this undermines democracy. This short piece by Nick Sneddon sets the context – which I agree with. Worth looking into this – making links. http://www.senscot.net/view_news.php?viewid=7365
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BRAG Enterprise is now offering individuals and organisations the opportunity to access social enterprise training using Individual Learning Accounts (ILA). The Government-backed scheme offers up to £200 towards the cost of the training. For more, see http://www.senscot.net/view_news.php?viewid=7366
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NOTICES: We can’t flag all notices here, but submit jobs and events and we’ll post them on our site. See http://www.senscot.net/index.php?W21ID=86&W21SUBID=0. This week:
JOBS: 20 vacancies, incl. posts with: Cornerstone Community Care, New Caledonian Woodlands, Edinburgh Cyrenians, CRNS, Govanhill Youth Project, Business Community Connections
EVENTS: 15 events: More Than Furniture 08 – Bigger, Better, Bolder, 27 Aug, Glasgow, Master Composter Training, Sep, Edinburgh; Social Enterprise World Forum, 5 Sep, Edinburgh; Learning Without Limits, 12 Sep, Angus; Community Funding launches, Sep-Oct, various locations; Blairgowrie & East Perthshire Walking Festival, 12 Oct, East Perthshire
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NETWORKS 1st: Last Friday saw the second in a series of meetings organised by the Glasgow SEN. The re-emergence of the Glasgow SEN has been one of the most significant developments of recent months in terms of Network activity. Six meetings have been scheduled through until the end of the year and Susan Aktemel (Impact Arts) has successfully managed to secure sponsors for the first 3 events. RBS hosted the first meeting, Wylie Bisset (Accountants) were hosts last Friday and the next meeting at the end of August will be courtesy of the Clydesdale Bank. For more, see https://senscot.net/networks1st/showart.php?articleid=39
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Scotland has 121 Credit Unions with 22,000 members – collectively they have £140m out on loan and £174m in savings. The reckless greed of the mainstream banking system has made credit very difficult – especially for people with poor credit ratings. This is an opportunity for the credit union sector to grow – and to encourage this government has published proposals to relax the present membership legislation which acts as a barrier to growth. Over the next couple of years and with united leadership – the Scottish Credit Union movement could really take off. https://senscot.net/?viewid=7372
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GEM – the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor – has published a report – Social Enterprise in the UK – which gives an interesting overview of our sector. Two million people in the UK are involved in some early stage entrepreneurial activity – 230,000 of these are trying to start a social venture. That would translate into 23,500 in Scotland. If true, I find this really exciting https://senscot.net/?viewid=7362
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This week’s bulletin profiles a social enterprise in Fraserburgh provide employment and skills opportunities for disadvantaged people in north Aberdeenshire. Broadcairn Construction (previously known as Broch Builders) is a trading arm of the Broadcairn Community Trust and is a self-financing enterprise that matches older people with experience and skills with younger people needing support to develop themselves in the property maintenance, building and landscaping trades. Over the last few weeks, they successfully completed their first contract, carrying out a major refurbishment for Tenants First Housing Co-operative in the town. For more, see http://www.senscot.net/view_prof.php?viewid=7367
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Understanding of an inner or spiritual life does not depend on belief in God. Albert Einstein, one of our modern wise men, described spiritual life this way:
“A human being is a part of the whole called by us “the universe”. A part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest – a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of understanding and compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”
That’s all for this week. Good luck with your adventures
Best wishes,
Laurence
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